Peace Move Rejected

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31584, 23 January 1968, Page 11

Peace Move Rejected

(N.Z. P.A.-Reuter—Copyright) WASHINGTON, Jan. 22. White House and State Department spokesmen have declined to comment on North Vietnam's rejection of President Johnson’s reiteration of American proposals for peace talks with Hanoi. The official Hanoi newspaper, “Nhan Dan,” said yesterday that President John son, in his State of the Union message last week, “only beat about the bush—a habitual trick.” Senator Robert Kennedy said today that the United States was asking for “unconditional surrender” as its terms for peace talks in Vietnam. Senator Kennedy again called for a bombing halt as a step towards negotiations. The Governor of Michigan (Mr George Rommey), who aspires to become the Republican Presidential candidate, today backed President Johnson's refusal to order an unconditional halt to the bombing. Interviewed on a national television programme, Mr Romney criticised the Administration's conduct of past peace explorations, but on the key issue of a bombing halt, he said: “I" don’t think we should just stop. The United States should see whether Hanoi will make a serious move in the direction of discussions for peace.”